Chrostmas
by Punkie-Spunk
Summary: [AU 3shot] Riku simply hated the Holidays. But things begin to change when a kid comes into Spencer's, just simply stalling for time. [You know, instead of Christmas?] [RikuSora] [AkuRoku On The Side]
1. Arms Race

**A/N**: …Well…Merry Belated Xmas.

C H R O S T M A S  
_- God Damn Arms Race -_

The day started out normally, just as all days in which Riku decided to hate with every fiber of his being.

The lights decorated the streets surrounding his own; brilliant colors and the spirit fled through the neighborhoods joyously…

Utterly disgusting him.

Riku simply hated the Holidays. A time to visit a family that never existed and to laugh hollowly at horrible jokes and to eat food that was better left uncooked then the condition it was served.

A time for the cheap beer to endorse the family in drunken merriment that led to horrible mishaps such as beatings, crude language, yelling, and the now box-office-best-seller porno all over the house.

Yes, it was normally a _family gathering_.

This was the reason he had stopped attending at seventeen, having been tossed out in the snow around this time some odd years ago.

Riku cleared his distraught, tempered mind from the images of cousins' kissing cousins and the _other _grotesque events happening at such parties as_ Family Christmas Parties_.

Christmas Eve just wasn't in it for him this year either. It really hasn't for the last eight, lonely years usually spent drinking himself into a stupor until the day _after _Christmas.

He could hear the carolers next door, singing a silly little song about Santa Clause and the Chimney…or something. He stopped hearing the song after tossing firecrackers at them with Axel three years prior. They never came back, and he never had to hear the song again.

Ahh, Axel, the best friend any twenty-five-year old could have. Some years, they both could be found on Riku's couch, passed out with empty bottles littering the floor around them.

Flaming red hair added to the jade-dull green of his eyes created the brilliant creature only known as Axel Shizura. Axel was known best for his high tolerance for alcohol and what a riot the man could be at parties; you know, the one's Riku never goes to because he's traumatized?

Yeah, those ones.

Axel usually stays around on Christmas Eve though, for emotional support. Or to make sure Riku didn't kill himself or something. Almost every visit, Axel would bring his little boy-toy (as Riku would say) Roxas with him.

Roxas was a wonder. At first glance, the kid did look feminine. And it was odd the Axel would bring him, being four years younger than Axel and three younger than Riku, making him twenty-two…or something. Riku never paid attention…

Anyway, Christmas Eve was in four days, not today. Why Riku hated it anyway? He decided this year to get cards for those he thought were worthy of a Spencer's Christmas card for the Almighty Grinch, a.k.a. Riku Murakami.

Spencer's had all those needed and yet so…_not_ needed at the same time. Much like how Riku self-loathing began with thoughts such as those. Spencer's was the best place for the Perversely-Dark and the Darkly Perverted… or something. Riku never gave this much thought either. He just had to walk around with his fucking apron, his fucking nametag that Axel tampered with and now says RIKPOO.

…Don't ask. Horrible story taking place last New Year's, added with too much liquor and Riku's discarded nametag and a sharpie that magically appeared in Axel's hand long after Riku passed out.

He also woke up the next morning with sharpie all over his face and a gigantic RIKU SUKZ MAJR MONKEH BIZZALLZ written in scribbles and scattered in bold black marker.

Okay, that was basically the gist of the story.

The walk to the Mall where work was awaiting consisted of a short walk to the light rail station, a transfer to another trolley on the light rail station after ten minute wait, and a short walk to the mall and another 2 minute walk to the store, located around the store with all the sporty stuff on it with the name-Riku-can-never-remember.

This morning was different. He woke up first loathing the day all together, and expected it to get better as it progressed. But he was oh so very wrong.

He missed the first trolley to the second light rail station, so there was no walking, it was a full-blown sprint half way across town. Luckily, the second train had not arrived yet. He waited…and waited…and waited.

"Fuck…" He breathed out gently, sighing deeply and running his hands through his hair, shivering beneath the black Pea Coat and matching jet-black scarf. The black Dickies he even decided to wear today proved to be too thin for cold winter morning, leaving the city layered in a sheet of snow that continued to fall passed dawn from the dark gray skies.

A woman sitting next to him tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Riku raised his eyes to almost glare at the woman, but settled for his trademark friendly hey-what-the-fuck-do-you-want scowl.

"Are you waiting for the seventy-one train?" She asked quietly, by which Riku nodded. She then smiled sympathetically "That trolley broke down early this morning… It was all over the news, didn't you-"

"Don't have a T.V." Riku said bluntly, getting up and shaking with suppressed anger and from the cold. He left after a short thank you, and took off running in the direction of the mall.

Luckily, Riku had managed to make it only forty-five minutes late. He walked into the front of the mall, looking at all the barely-opening stores and eventually stumbled into his own with a groan.

There, in front of him, stood his co-worker and semi-friend-but-not-really-I-only-work-with-the-guy…friend, Leon.

He stood glaring at the silver haired boy with arms crossed over his chest. Riku only glared back at him with a trademark smart-ass-smirk until Leon sighed.

"You're lucky I watched the news this morning. Sorry about your train."

"No sweat. What'd I miss?"

Leon massaged the bridge of his nose tiredly, "Larxene's been on her rampage all day. Either it's time of the month, or we're getting a noob."

"Oh…fantastic."

"And one of us has to work shift with him. Time schedules are screwy too."

Riku walked into the store calmly, glancing around at the all-too-familiar gizmos and gadgets and smart-ass-y comments on t-shirts, band shirts, and his favorite, the key chains. Riku was usually the one behind the register, distracting Leon from work and getting in trouble with Lar-Lar.

Ahh, the blonde, malicious, whorific-bitch of the story, Larxene Inokami. Larxene was always one to ruin even the best of moods with her diabolical attitude. And when that special time of the month came…WWIII broke loose.

Riku sighed again, tying his apron on and fastening his nametag with the graffiti on it. Leon always smirked at the sight, which earned him a glare. Today was no different in at least _that _perspective.

Maybe Leon had turned on the radio in the store, because the next thing Riku noticed was the random Green Day song… You know, the one about September and how depressing it is and stuff. Riku ignored it and proceeded to the back of the store, noticing the big red sign saying ADULTS ONLY.

Larxene only put that up after they had caught a ten year old crying because of the pictures in the little book labeled "For Him".

Almost stumbling over the blasted thing, Riku noted the odd small box just randomly sitting in front of him on the floor. He bent down to pick it up, and held it oddly in his hands. He turned to ask Leon what it was for, but wound up screaming in sheer fright and jumping at the mere sight of the horrible thing standing next in front of him…

Larxene. With a scowl on her face enough to make the Devil flinch.

"Almost an HOUR late, and you're not even trying to unload all the new shit that just blew in! The Mall opens in ten minutes!"

"Wh-w-what-?"

"If I catch you just hoggling around like a retard, I'll have your poorly drawn-on nametag faster than you can say Merry Fucking Christmas!"

Riku watched as the smaller, yet frightfully louder and meaner, woman stomped away, giving Leon a glare all his own, and then stomping into the backroom.

Leon stood next to Riku, both boys' eyes wide as dinner plates. Both boys also reeled back when the door to the back slammed shut.

Riku looked up at the taller, brunet male with a quizzical look, "…_Hoggling?_"

"Larxenism. I just don't even try to read her anymore."

Riku dismissed the thought and looked down at the box again, "Hey, Leon?"

"Yup." Leon replied, already in another one of the doors leading to the storage room and pulling out another, larger box and opening it.

"What's supposed to be in here, anyways?"

"Oh, I think that was the order for the new Chocolate Pens. I think it was either Larxene or Marluxia's idea to get them for the newest edition to this section."

Leon looked up at the silver-haired man, and the two shrugged in unison.

_**/C/**_

Riku's break began at three, and much to his dismay, that was not for another hour. He sat at the register, bored out of his mind, looking down at the strange penholder the store decided to use, in the shape of an old man bent over and his pants down, and the pen looking like it was shoved up his ass. Hard. There were others, like of a woman and, Riku thought, a monkey, but they were nowhere in sight.

He sighed, looking at how empty this place looked around this time. He'd like to work at the Borders down the way, or the Target, where everything is quiet all the time…Spencer's Quiet-Days were the off-days.

Christmas was just outright boring on the days before. It was only fun when Axel and Roxas came over and they got drunk. Sometimes, Axel and Roxas would disappear in Riku's bedroom after he had passed out…Riku only knew because he never _really_ passed out.

Totally random thought, but it was the only thing he could do to keep his mind off the one kid who walked in here with a girl. The two disappeared in the back section of the store and haven't quite come back yet, and it's been ten minutes.

Oh fuck. The pens…

Riku jumped at the thought and, without a second thought, was already on his way to unload the random, small box of Chocolate Pens, used for decorating your partner's body with the only thing better than sex, Chocolate. Even though both are respectively easy to get off on, but that's besides the point.

Riku didn't see the two that walked in earlier. Maybe he fell asleep and they walked right out. Or they were sneaky and totally just stole something…

Ahh well. This place got jacked from every day. They stopped really caring after they found ways around the little alarm systems built into most of the merchandise.

Yes, merchandise can be sex toys too.

Oh, the wonders of the back section, laden to the brim with kinky objects, flavored lube, and the random ONE WALL with the lights that looked relatively normal and not-kinky. Like the one shaped like a guitar, and the one shaped like a…vagina.

Okay… Maybe it wasn't the only wall that was safe.

He sighed, looking down and locating the box. He opened it, and found an empty section for the objects to go, gently placing them gently on the shelf.

With another sigh, he realized he'd better price the damn things before putting them up. Durr. Riku groped around his apron until he was CERTAIN that Leon had the damned thing. The labeler, whatever. He called the elder male's name, and found him looking at a magazine near the section with the belt buckles and posters.

"Labeler."

"Larxene's got it."

Riku gasped. "Oh _nooooo_…"

"Sorry. She needed it to start putting prices on some of the new stuff. She thought you weren't capable of such a simple job."

"Just because I started putting reasonable prices on the dragon-glass-stuff in the window."

"Ten Bucks?"

Riku paused. "Yeah. Not a bad thing to pass up."

Leon sighed, "Look, you want the labeler, go bug her, not me. I'm on break. That new dude was supposed to show up a half hour ago…good thing you're not the only late person around here."

Riku scowled, and went off to the back room, where he found Larxene sitting on the employee couch and running said scanner across a few items at a time, while blowing gigantic pink bubbles with her gum. She looked calm, maybe if he asked really nicely…?

"Hey, Lar-Lar?"

"Yup."

"Can I borrow that? I need to price the choco-pens and stuff…"

Larxene glanced up at the green-eyed man and quirked an eyebrow. After a moment, she popped the bubble loudly in her mouth, stood up, and outstretched the item to him. Riku took it and looked up at Leon with the small gun in hand. Leon only rolled his eyes and continued his reading.

Riku nearly pranced toward the back of the store with the small gun, already inputting the object code and price, a very easy process after only two years working there. He turned to the first pen in reach, and rolled the price sticker onto the back. He repeated a few times until all the items already on the shelf were priced and accounted for. Now all he had to do was put the things in the goddamned register…

He sighed gently before looking up at the other things, up to the poster of the two girls in their underwear kissing on a bed and…ugh.

Oh yes, the ever-controversial concept of Gay-Marriage.

Riku was all for it.

If you could find happiness in this horrible world, then fine, spend the rest of your life with that person. Fantastic.

Oh, the song changed.

Ah, Fall Out Boy.

_i am an arms dealer, fitting you with weapons in the form of words_

And back to the issue.

It was always the girl-on-girl action that irked him in the weirdest fashion out of all the orientations. Even Axel had explained why time and time again, but it just never occurred to Riku why it was so…fucking hot to some people.

_as long as the room keeps singing, thats just the business im in_

Riku liked to keep the image like he just wasn't interested in such things like Romance and Love. Which was true, he wasn't interested. At all. Not. One Bit.

_this aint a scene, its a god damn arms race  
__this aint a scene, its a god damn arms race  
__this aint a scene, its a god damn arms race _

Riku knew all the words to this simple little song. He loved it so. He mouthed the words quietly which turned into quiet singing, and lead to the gentle tap of his foot to the beat.

_im not a shoulder to cry on, but i digress_

He walked lazily toward the register, and began inputting the dumb code into the dumb register with the dumb (but reasonable) price, when he glanced up, noticing a boy walking all alone outside the store.

He glanced up at the store's sigh, and then went back to looking at the displays in the window, then actually came into the store after a moment. He walked in time with the beat of the song with a slight bounce in his step, and just looked around at all the dragon glass stuff.

im a leading man, and the lies i weave are oh so intricate, oh so intricate im a leading man, and the lies i weave are oh so intricate, oh so intricate 

Riku tried not to make it like he was staring but…The kid looked like he was eighteen or something, and he was just walking around by himself with an odd look like he was kind of lost, and yet he fit in just right.

_i wrote the gospel on giving up__  
-you look pretty sinking-_

He let his hair run a bit wild, what with the spikes sticking in every direction and the same color as Leon's. His was more of a chocolate brown then the dried wood color Leon had.

Riku finished imputing the codes and continued to sneak glances at the kid as he walked around. The kid didn't even faze Leon, still embedded into his dumb book. Oh well. Riku had to be the happy-dude-who-worked-there guy today.

Oh, how this day had worsened since he got out of bed…

_but the real bombshells have already sunk  
__-primadonnas of the gutter-  
_

Riku staggered lazily to the kid, straightening his apron before approaching. He walked up casually, asking "Hey, you finding everything okay?"

The kid turned, and Riku's heart stopped.

He blinked his deep blue eyes a couple times before gently laughing and putting crossing his arms and _popping_ one of his hips. But those _eyes_…

"Actually, I was pretty happy just looking at your statues. Did I really see one of them priced at ten dollars?"

It took a couple snaps of the kid's fingers in his face before Riku came back to reality and realized he had been staring at the frigg'n cerulean diamonds he calls eyes…

_at night we're painting your trash gold while you sleep_

Riku blinked a few times and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I-I'm sorry, you just have-"

"It's the eyes, right?"

Riku nodded.

"Yeah…I get that all the time. I've caused some pretty cool car accidents just by blinking them to death."

Riku quirked an eyebrow.

"…I'm kidding."

"Right…So, anything in particular you're looking for?"

"Actually, no…"

Riku again paused.

"I was just stalling for time because I'm…kinda nervous…"

"Why would you be nervous? Looking for sex toys or somethin'?"

_crashing not like hips or cars  
-__no, more like p-p-p-parties-_

The kid denied the claim and blushed profusely.

"No, I um…actually, well you work here…Can you tell me where I can find a Miss Larxene Inokami? I wanted to tell her I was sorry for being so late. The train I was supposed to take broke down…"

"…_You're_ the noob?"

The kid scrunched his eyebrows together.

"S-sorry, but…you're the new kid?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that…"

Riku stared for another couple seconds before another snap of the fingers made him apologize again.

"I'll take you to Lar-Lar. She'll get you all fixed up, alright?"

"Thanks a lot," He began, walking alongside Riku toward the door to the lounge, "I mean, I saw the sign, and all the stuff…and I thought it'd be awesome to work here…so I applied… I'm Sora, by the way."

"Riku. Riku Murakami."

The two stopped in front of the lounge for a moment and shook hands.

"Hey Larxene?"

"What do you want? I'm busy!"

Larxene's voice rang from above them, making both boys look up to watch her nimbly jump from the top step of the latter in her jean pencil skirt and leggings and band t-shirt glory. She looked up at Riku, then to Sora.

"Ahh, you must be the noobie?"

"…Why does everyone call me that?"

"I'll get you started with a schedule. Riku!"

_this aint a scene, its a god damn arms race  
__this aint a scene, its a god damn arms race  
__this aint a scene, its a god damn arms race _

Riku momentarily looked up from his fidgeting, slightly scowling at her, "_What?_"

"Don't take tone with me, kiddo. Go slap Leon for me and tell him to start labeling the Penis Christmas Lights for me, Okay? I gotta get him started."

"…Whatever." And again, Riku was disinterested.

_bandwagon's full, please catch another_

Yes, Larxene was a bitch. Riku was just talking to the kid, and all of a sudden he hears "DO THIS, DO THAT!"

Ugh. Life is disgusting.

Riku swaggered up to the register happily, his smile only widening when he realized the song was still playing.

"All the boys who the dance floor didn't love, and all the girls whose lips couldn't move fast enough-"

"Sing, until your lungs give out."

Riku turned, noticing ther bouncy little brunet boy standing right next to him out the fucking thin air.

"Uh, sorry…I'm a sucker for Fall Out Boy…Anyways, Larxene told me to ask you for the roster with the times on it?"

"O-oh right…" Riku groped around the register without any luck, and proceeded to dive into the cabinet underneath the register table. He crouched down until the damned thing was in sight and grabbed it and handed it to the younger boy.

"There ya go."

"Awesome, thanks much, Riku."

He said that, and bounced off, still singing "This ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race, this ain't a scene, it's a god damn arms race…"

Riku glanced at the clock, _3:06. _Dammit. Riku pulled on his Pea Coat, poked at Leon as he sneered at the penis lights and walked out the door.

He heard a voice from inside the mall call something like his name, but he paid no mind to it. They could have been saying "I SEE YOU" and not "RIKU" at all.

He sighed, again hearing something like his name. He turned this time, watching as Spunky little Sora jogged up to him with a smile on his face.

"God, Riku, ignore me why doncha…"

"I ignore everyone on good days, don't feel special."

Sora laughed, reaching into his pockets and pulling out a pair of holly mittens and slipping them over his skinny, pale fingers. Riku quirked an eyebrow inwardly.

"Larxene said it was alright if I came back in an hour so I could my shift hours and stuff…so, uh…where ya goin'?"

"To this place to get something to eat…"

Riku paused, looking down at Sora. His eyes still had that eerie, but warm touch of blue as they stared. Riku was able to continue without the snapping fingers.

"You, uh…wanna come?"

"I'd love to!"

Wow…Sora's one happy-go-lucky kid.

Riku smiled and sat on the bench to wait for the light rail. Sora sat next to him gleefully and lightly tapped his foot to some beat in his head. Riku ignored until the train arrived and both boarded. The two sat near the back, and got off a few stops later at a diner. Riku led to one of the far back tables, away from the other people, and watched as Sora sat in the seat in front of him.

Sora looked around the place excitedly, teeth still chattering slightly from the cold. Riku looked at him amusedly before finally asking, "You look crazy."

"I've only been in a restaurant like this a few times…it's nice and warm…"

…Now, what kind of a kid doesn't go to restaurants? Riku mentally sighed. Wow…stranger then he thought.

"How old did you say you were?"

"I'm twenty-one. Going to be twenty-two in March."

Riku hmm'd in slight amusement. The waitress came to their table, and politely asked for their order. Riku said something he couldn't even remember, but he'd said it so many times it was something that just fell short of thought to say.

"And you, sir?"

"Oh…I-I don't have any money, Riku…"

Riku glanced up from his current state with his hands shielding his eyes. "What?"

"W-well, I didn't bring any money with me…"

Riku shook his head gently, still all but listening to the conversation. "It's cool, go ahead, get whatever you want, I'll pay for it."

Sora's eyes brightened, if possible. "R-really?"

"Yeah, sure…"

…Yup, one weird kid.

"O-okay then…I think I'll have a-"

And that's when Riku full out fell asleep. He woke up a little later when his…_whatever _got here and Sora was happily munching away at a little hamburger and a couple of French fries.

After a gulp of soda, Sora smiled weakly and laughed, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be such a mooch…I haven't had a burger in ages."

"It's alright, I don't mind. It's nice to have someone to talk to on break. Usually I'm just here by myself and I pay and leave." Riku shrugged.

"No one at all?"

"Well, my best friend Axel…But he's usually preoccupied with his little boy toy, Roxas…Kid looks kinda like you, actually."

Sora was one hell of a listener, too. Wasn't tuning him out or anything…

"So they're usually off doing their…own things."

"So…Axel's gay?"

Riku shrugged again, "I don't even know. The other day he was telling me why lesbians turn the world on, and yet he had this little nympho-thingy attached to his leg like a frou-frou dog. I'm not sure anymore. I stopped trying to figure him out."

"Hmm…what about you then, Riku?"

Sora asked questions kind of timidly. Like Riku would hit him if he stuttered or something. Riku wouldn't do that, though.

"What do you mean?"

"I guess it's easier to ask… Well, what's your orientation, male or female?"

Riku paused…and paused, and paused.

"Well…I have had sex with girls…"

This was kind of uncomfortable…in comfortable kind of way.

"I won't kill you or something if you say you don't know-"

"I _know_ what I am."

Sora kind of faltered then. "Oh…okay. Sorry."

"I think I just don't know at the moment. I've never really thought about it...Hey wait, then what are _you_?"

"Oh, I've come to terms with being gay a long time ago." Sora looked from the floor back up to Riku.

That would explain a lot…

Sora began eating again after a bit of a pause, and Riku's staring at his eyes again.

"Yanno…Your eyes are nice, too."

_**/C/**_

Riku had paid the bill after a lively lunch and the two were back on their way to the mall. They walked into Spencer's and watched as Leon finished inputting some codes into the register on some item shaped oddly like a breakable glass thing.

Sora took the object gently from Leon's hands, holding it carefully and examining it like it was Pandora's box or something. It was in the shape of a glass dragon.

"Sora, do you have a fetish for dragons or something?"

Sora laughed gently, giving the thing back to the confused Leon, wondering where the hell the thing had gone in the first place.

"You can say that…not like a sexual thing, but I mean, Dragons are crazy things…that's all. I love em'."

Riku nodded, taking off his coat and proceeding to put it in the lounge when Larxene, once again, scared him shitless.

"Riku!"

"WHAT?"

She smiled deviously, "You no longer work this shift."

"…Say what?"

"You are trading places with Zexion and taking the second shift with Marluxia, not the first."

"I'm working LATE HOURS?"

Larxene's smile grew. "Five o'clock to eleven and you have to stay late to help pack up."

Riku groaned, "But I'll be half asleep by that time!"

"Well drink some coffee there, champ! Someone needs to show Sora the ropes!"

Riku glanced down at the brunet. He looked to be cringing slightly.

He was being kind of loud…

He lowered his voice a little until it was no longer yelling, asking, "I start…?"

"Tomorrow. You gotta get here at four in case Marluxia wants to work you to the bone."

"Oh, kinky."

The trio then looked at Leon, watching as he read one of the books called "For Him".

Riku groaned. "At least I'll be away from _that_…"

Sora laughed at the remark, looking less like a scared little kid and going off to explore the rest of the store.

The second shift with Marluxia had it downsides and upsides. On one hand, you had more customers, more stuff to do, and no one is ever really bored. But on the other hand…more customers…more stuff to do…no one is ever really bored.

Riku sighed, massaging his temples and leaning against the wall next to Leon. Sora followed, standing on the opposing side of Leon.

"Welp. Looks like you got the noob, Riku."

"Yeah Leon. Looks like it."

* * *

**A/N**: I Know who Green Day is. I'm trying to Make Riku a dummy-head.

Song: "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" By Fall Out Boy

…Chya. I went there. Chapter 1 of 3…I guess. Turned out pretty long, too…Well, Merry Chrostmas!


	2. Out Lips Can Touch Here

C H R O S T M A S  
_- Our Lips Can Touch Here -_

Upon waking up the next afternoon, Riku winced at the glaring sunlight from outside and groaned at the massive migraine pounding at his skull.

Let's see… He came home last night, around…what was it now, eight or nine? Whatever. He didn't even remember what he had been doing to make him return home so late…Hell, the shift he finished out yesterday ended at five, why did he leave the Mall four hours later?

…Christmas shopping?

…Nah.

Riku softly cursed as he sat up from his current position on the floor of his bare living room, and noted the empty bottles all over the room.

Oh, right. Axel and Roxas came over last night.

Anything after that is a blur. Riku staggered to stand and held his head, holding onto the recliner he had probably fallen out of somewhere during the night for balance. He cleared his vision before walking lazily in the direction of his bedroom in search of headache pills. He noted the tuff of red hair sticking out from underneath the covers, but ignored it, and the smell of sex in the room, and proceeded unsteadily to his bathroom.

Upon opening the cabinet, a shower of bottles and pills suddenly fell and flew into the sink and onto the floor, the sudden loud noises making him groan. He bent onto the floor and groped around until the Excedrin pills came into view. He grabbed it lazily and tried to stand, bumping his head onto the sink on his way up. He groaned again, clutching the throbbing spot and looking at the bottle.

He unscrewed the cap, took two of the little pills out, and dry swallowed them down.

So, let's remember…

Riku came home, Axel and Roxas were already here and tipsy, and Riku must've joined in the fun…somewhere along the lines.

Riku grabbed the edges of the sink from the sudden wave of dizziness hit him. His heartbeat rang in his hearts dully, and his bowls churned uncomfortably and forced up the contents of his stomach.

Good thing Riku had reached the toilet in time.

He coughed a few times before flushing the mess away. Oh, that was lovely. Riku stood shakily, and turned on the water in the sink to rinse his hands and mouth.

"That was a wonderful thing to wake up to."

Riku ignored the smart remark. Leave it to Axel to joke about another's misfortune. Axel stood in the doorway of the bathroom, waiting for Riku to finish so he could take a wiz. Riku turned and slightly glared at the older before coughing again, followed by a short groan.

"You alright?"

"I'll be fine…later."

Axel laughed, gingerly patting the younger on the head before pulling down his lone boxers to pee.

"Axel…what happened last night?"

"Oh, well…you came home, like later than usual, so me and Roxas just invited ourselves in, as per usual-"

He paused to flush the toilet.

"And then we had shot contests. I still can't believe Roxas beat you, with rum none the less!"

"…Don't say rum."

Another groan.

"Sorry. But, yeah. Then you started talking about this kid; Stove, or something. Who names their kid Stove, man?"

"I don't know anyone named _Stove_, Axel."

"You don't? Well you work with the kid now."

"…Sora?"

"Yeah! That's it. Anyways, so you just kept blabbering on and on about this kid and how amazing he was."

Riku looked down at the floor quizzically. "I did?"

"Yeah. So we handed you a bottle of Captain Morgan, knocked ya right out."

Riku glared at the taller male, "And then used my bed to have your way with Roxas?"

"…Well, yeah. You never cared before…besides, you sleep on the couch most of the time."

"Not the point."

Roxas was next to wake up. He walked into the bathroom next, looking up at Axel first then smiling up at Riku, granting them both Good Mornings before heading toward the toilet.

Riku could _take _Axel pulling his pants down in front of him, not some _kid_ doing it.

He walked hazily out of the bathroom, careful to avoid lying on his bed, and went back to the living room and plopped gently down on the couch, flat on his back. He heard Axel following him, and sitting down on the recliner.

"So…Sora, huh?"

"Yeah…this new guy at work. I work a new shift with him…"

Axel smiled. Riku couldn't see that, of course, being exhausted and staring up at the ceiling. Riku sighed deeply.

"Think I can get away with only throwing up once today, Axel?"

"Doubt it. Want something to kill the pain?"

Riku nodded, and soon after was giving a small red pill and a glass of tap water. He sat up and took the thing, watching Roxas finally come out of his lair, only to straddle Axel on the recliner. Riku lay back down to rest his head and tried to ignore the incoherent chitchat between them.

Love was gross.

But how he needed it so badly at a time like this.

Riku glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall, reading 4:49. Hmm…wait.

"Shit." He said, getting up quickly and walking as quickly as his tingly legs would let him to get dressed. Once he brushed his teeth, the churning in his stomach had stopped and he was able to steal a piece of toast from Axel on his way out the door.

The walk to the light rail wasn't really a walk; he was sprinting again. His stomach was bopping around inside of him, but he couldn't let something like that slow him down.

Late, and it was his first fuckin' day!

He boarded some train that lead him to his next stop, and he jumped off, watching as his train rolled away merrily.

Holidays suck.

He ignored the new headache forming in his skull, and began a fast-paced walk toward the Mall. Maybe Marluxia was nicer than Larxene in terms of being late…

Try, oh say, another forty-five minutes late?

He strolled into Spencer's casually, huffing slightly. He took off his pea coat, and walked toward the back of the store to put it away for now and find his apron, spotting Sora putting things on the shelves calmly. Riku chose to let him work and not to bother him just yet. He walked into the lounge, and set his coat down.

Again, Riku found himself being scared out of his wits when he turned around, facing with a feminine looking male with pinkish-brown hair.

Well…you don't see THAT every day, now do you.

The man quirked an eyebrow, "Are you, _Riku Murakami?_"

"Y-yes, sir." It was a dude, right?

He then smiled, putting both hands on his hips, "Oh good then. SO, I guess being late for work is a constancy of yours?"

"No, sir, I was only late yesterday because the train broke down, and I was late today because…well, I was throwing up."

He quirked another eyebrow.

"Hmm. RIKPOO?"

"…Don't ask."

He hummed questionably... "I'm Marluxia, working the second shift. Good to meet you."

The two shook hands.

"Now," Mar began, pointing toward the window, "Start helping out the noob, alright?"

"Will do."

Riku sighed, watching as he disappeared into the lounge, door closing behind him. He seemed a bit nicer than Larxene, but…well, then again it was only his first damned day. Maybe he was really some kind of serial killer just WAITING to pounce and like…rape one of them.

Riku shivered.

He walked up casually, watching as Sora picked up a Halloween mask, and placed it on the shelf with the other ones.

"Did you price those?"

"Yup."

"How much?"

"Twelve ninety-nine."

"…Well, reasonable for _this_ place, anyway."

Riku sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and just watching the younger man go to work. Diligent, yes, but slightly clumsy, and he kind of put everything on the shelf cock-eyed.

Without a second thought, he grabbed one of the masks and slightly shifted it to stand straight with the others. Sora glanced up at him, and began following his movements, starting a new row of clown looking ones right next to them.

Riku laughed after the two were done. "Good."

Sora blushed. "I tried."

"You did well. Don't worry about it."

Sora glanced up at him with another smile, and a flash of his brilliant blue eyes. Riku sighed inwardly, and decided to walk off to the back section again. The lamp shaped like a Vagina still failed to sell…so far.

It was generally new…kind of.

The store was a little busier during the end of the day. He weaved around a couple of people to check the backroom to make sure no boxes were to unload, and sure enough, nothing was of interest in there…at all.

He sighed…again. He just decided to work the register until his break…that was three hours away…

_**/C/**_

_Riku?_

Ahh, the voice of Angel, finally coming to take him away from this God-forsaken Sex store… Away from the crowds, away from the annoying family, away from…the Papa Roach song playing in his head?

"Riku?"

His arm fell asleep. All he could feel was the intense tingling crawling up his right arm and back down again.

"Riku!"

Riku jerked from his sleeping position practically on top of the register, looking up at Sora's bright shiny, confused face.

"What are you doing?"

"Sleeping."

"Why?"

"So I can take my break faster."

"Oh…well, what time does it start?"

"Eight o'clock."

"Oh, sorry didn't mean to wake you too early." He laughed gently.

Riku rubbed the sleep from his eyes, sighing and standing in order to stretch his limbs.

"It's in a little bit. You wanna go get something to eat at the food court this time?"

"Okay. Sure."

Riku glanced around the store, noting at how empty it had become. No one was even in the back section! How horrible the world had become…three days before Christmas, even!

_I like, where we are  
When we drive, in your car  
I like, where we are...  
Here_

A half an hour went by, granting Riku the right of passage for his break. Sora also, he concluded, because the kid was following him during his said breaks.

Riku paid for some little donut from the Starbucks shop at the entrance of the food court, and sat at a table. Sora followed.

"Aren't you going to get anything?"

"Oh no, I'm fine."

The kid was so skinny, how could he _not_ be hungry?

"You sure?"

"Yeah…I ate before I um…got here."

"…Four hours ago?"

"Uh…huh." Sora smiled rather nervously.

One. Weird. Dude.

_Cause our lips, can touch  
And our cheeks, can brush  
Our lips, can touch…  
Here_

"Alright, fine… So Sora, Spencer's cutting out for you?"

Sora brightened, "Oh yes! I love working there. With Marluxia and you…"

_Well you are the one, the one that lies close to me  
Whispers hello, I miss you quite terribly_

Sora drummed his fingers gently against the table, tapping his foot again to some beat in his head. Riku ate his donut slowly, offering the last bite to Sora. He took it slowly and popped it in his mouth rather cutely.

…Cutely?

Riku laughed when Sora's smile again sparked on his face. The crowd around them bustled from small restaurant to the next one, pausing for a break from their hideous Christmas shopping.

He had to get out of here.

_I fell in love, in love with you suddenly  
Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms_

"C'mon." He called over his shoulder bluntly at the distracted brunet boy, already standing from the chair. Sora followed suit after a moment. Riku walked a short distance passed the food court, and up to the huge Target store on the opposite end of the Mall. He led Sora to the elevators, and went up to the second floor, stepping off and turning for the exit onto the roof.

"Where we goin'?"

"You'll see."

_I like, where you sleep  
When you sleep, next to me  
I like, where you sleep...  
Here_

Riku ran across the parking lot, as a motive to get to the point faster, and walked up toward the corner lining the lot. Sora caught up to him after a second, panting slightly from the short run, and looked over the edge onto the shopping center across the street.

"I come here to think. Or when I have to get away from Leon or Larxene…"

Sora smiled down at the sight. "I can see why…"

_Our lips, can touch  
And our cheeks, can brush  
Cause our lips, can touch…  
Here_

There was a comfortable pause beside the two, apart from the honking horns, screaming angry white people, and the…well, other stuff that went on outside. Riku watched Sora shift closer to his body, apparently startled by a car horn going off close by.

Sora's head found Riku's shoulder, slightly startling him. Riku gulped inaudibly, glancing back and forth from the full head of spikes the kid had and the shopping center. At least he wasn't…

Sora's cold, bony fingers found those of Riku's, and gently laced them together. Okay…that was awkward.

He chose not to speak. It may ruin it, even it seemed totally weird and totally something he wouldn't do…especially to another _boy_…but the kid did look like he would be a little lonely at times.

_Well you are the one, the one that lies close to me  
Whispers hello, I miss you quite terribly_

"Riku…?"

Riku visibly winced from the sudden withdraw from his thoughts, "Y-yeah?"

Sora scrunched his eyebrows together as their eyes met. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah…I'm fine…"

"Well, can I ask you a question?"

Ahh, the old Riku-Smart-Ass remarks never fail. "You just did."

Sora laughed shortly, blinking before speaking again, "You said yesterday that you weren't sure of what you liked…of what you preferred…"

Oh…that's where this is going.

_I fell in love, in love with you suddenly  
Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms_

"Right…"

He paused mid sentence, and laughed a little, "I know I'm pushing you…but I think you're amazing, Riku…"

Riku smiled as Sora continued, watching his eyes flash with every little thing he said, watched his hair bouncing as he talked, watched his lips move with the words…soft…kinda red, probably from the lack of Chap Stick in the cold…

He was beautiful.

"So…" Riku interrupted quietly, running a thumb gently over the younger male's cheek. "This means you…like me?"

_Our lips, can touch_

His eyes flashed again as he nodded, "…a lot…"

His hands snaked from his sides to around the elder's neck, bringing the two significantly closer. Neither of them minded. Riku felt the heat from Sora's breath run across the exposed skin on his neck. He still couldn't manage to take his eyes off of those goddamned lips…

_Our lips, can touch..._

Riku inched closer, still eyeing those intoxicating lips. The little pink nub in his mouth poked out for only a second to glide smoothly against his lips, teasing Riku or not, he wasn't sure. Sora too moved closer to the taller boy, inches barley parting their lips. Sora glanced up at the older male, locking gazes for a moment before feeling lips connect with his own.

_Here_

Sweet. Gentle. Chaste. Much to Riku's dismay.

This was moving too fast. He didn't need the voice in the back of his head yelling at him to know that.

He opened his eyes after pulling away slowly, staring down at the cerulean diamonds he called eyes again. He leaned in further without a second thought for another taste. Sora didn't seem to mind, Riku concluded, because he could feel the younger's lips curling in a smile of agreement.

_You are the one, the one that lies close to me  
Whispers hello, I miss you quite terribly_

The elder's hands gained mind of their own, snaking around in Sora's hair, feeling the warmth buried deep inside the wild mess. The whisper of their lips parting silenced the world around them; the cars, the screaming, _Christmas _in general, were silenced.

_I fell in love, in love with you suddenly  
Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms…_

Their gazes locked again, neither of them making movements to break it. Riku couldn't if he wanted to anyway…those GOD DAMNED EYES.

Sora blinked, smiling gently, and thus breaking the never-ending staring contest. Riku blinked in turn, grinning back at the younger boy, untangling his hands form his hair and earning his neck back in the process.

"So…does that mean you like me too…?" Sora asked timidly; Riku looked down at the younger and watched the intense blush forming on his cheeks.

Riku smiled, looking back at the Mall's entrance and tilting his head slightly.

"Yeah…I guess it does."

Sora laughed, hugging Riku's waist, cuddling slightly against the heat. Riku wrapped an arm around his slender shoulders and sighed happily.

…Well that was quite the roller coaster ride…

_**/C/**_

His break had ended, and Riku returned to work for the remaining two hours of the shift until ten o'clock when Spencer's closed it's gate and locked the register. Riku was doing said event, coding in the pass code in order to lock the register until the next day.

He sighed while reading the ARMED on the register's screen. He sat in the chair behind him, propping his feet on top of the glass shield over the register, and cradled his head with his propped right arm.

The sudden kiss to his cheek startled him, as he was on his way to sleeping again. He arced against the back or the chair, looking up to see an upside-down Sora smiling down at him.

"Hey, Riku!"

Riku winced…wasn't he supposed to have had a hangover this morning? Oh, wait…what _was _that thing Axel gave him? Son of a bitch worked fast.

But now…it looked as though it was wearing off, Riku concluded with the screaming headache and churning bowls throwing him out of his blissful hangover-free day.

Ah, well.

"H-hi Sora."

"Listen, I was wondering, um… Could you come over to my place so I can pay you back for the burger yesterday?"

Riku blinked.

"Oh, you don't-"

"I want to. I felt like such a mooch yesterday, and you barely even knew me!"

Again, Riku blinked.

"O-okay then…when ya leaving?"

"In a bit. I take the Seventy-one train, it wont be here for another half hour."

Riku laughed, getting up from the seat, and leaning against the countertop next to Sora. He propped up his head with his right arm again, looking at him with a grin. Sora mocked him humorously by copying him, but crossing his eyes in stead. Riku laughed, and flicked him in the nose, earning a 'hey!' in protest, and the two are flying around the store with Riku in the lead.

Riku ran into the back section if the store, hiding behind the table placed in the center decorated with books and flavored lube. He watched Sora run after him, running circles around the table after the older male, both of them laughing hysterically. Sora managed to find a whip and grab it, snapping it as Riku ran.

"Ahem."

Both men stopped, Riku first, with Sora slamming into him and falling onto the floor.

Marluxia looked at the two confusedly, quirking an eyebrow at the two with his arms crossed over his chest.

_His_ chest, right?

"What are two doing?"

"Uh-" Sora began. Riku only smiled nervously and helped the younger to his feet.

"…Shift ended ten minutes ago, both of you go chase each other around outside, huh? I got valuables in here. Break it you buy it; just because you work here doesn't mean you get off easy."

Riku and Sora both blinked.

Ten minutes ago?

Riku glanced up at the clock and sighed. Wow…shift was already over…He _did _work today, didn't he?

He began walking toward the lounge to get his coat and scarf. He walked out mid-wrapping his scarf around his neck, watching Sora pulling on his holly mittens again and yawning.

They waved farewell to Marluxia as the two left the Mall and walked to the light rail station. Sora bent down and packed a snowball, chucking it at the unsuspecting Riku, hitting dead on its target.

A snowball fight began in the middle of the parking lot on the way to the station. Sora began running toward the station, and away from Riku as he approached with a snowball in hand. The two laughed as they ran toward the station, scaring the couple people, already sitting and waiting to get out of here.

The snowball hit it's target (namely Sora's head), making him nearly trip and fall. He caught himself, turning to watch as Riku came flying at him, tackling the brunet, sending them both to the cement floor, still laughing.

Both stood up shortly after. Sora groaned at the sudden pain shooting through his side from the fall. He laughed it off and sat on one of the seemingly abandoned benches. The other people at the station had all suddenly moved to the_ opposite _end to wait for their tickets home.

Riku laughed inwardly at them, both out of embarrassment and pity. They needed more fun.

Now that he had thought about it, this was the most fun he'd had in a while with his clothes on and with the absence of alcohol. He shrugged, running a hand through his hair, hearing Sora sigh.

"So…we're going where to get what, again?"

"We're going to where I live, and I'm going to pay you the six ninety-nine I owe you from yesterday. Is that okay?"

"Yeah…that's fine… So, where do you live again?"

"I live in the Sovereign Motel. You know, on Solemn Rock Avenue?"

Riku stared at the younger.

"But…isn't that-"

"The ghetto?"

"…Yeah."

Sora smiled, shaking his head. "Yeah…I know…I can't find a cheaper place…" He glanced up at the older with a weakening smile.

Riku looked down the tracks, watching for the trolley that wasn't coming any time soon. He felt Sora's fingers lace themselves in his and his head rest against his shoulder. For warmth or not, Riku was not sure. He couldn't complain though; the contact was nice. It had been a while since he let anyone this close anyway…maintaining the "I-Am-Riku-Leave-Me-The-Fuck-Alone' image was getting kind of tiring.

He felt like sleeping again, although the nap during work really kinda…helped, sleep still wanted to claim him. But he had to go to Sora's first, and get, what…seven bucks he really didn't need?

Oh well…more time to spend with him.

Just yesterday, Sora was just the noob at work, but…how the hell did he move up the ranks so fast?

There was something off about the kid… Something _off_, yet so _on_ about him, metaphorically speaking. His eyes, his lips, that _hair_…

Okay, maybe there was a little…something…pooling in the pit of his stomach that MAY have meant he did have a thing for Sora, another _boy_…but that wasn't the point. The guy was amazing, there was no denying it; unlike anything Riku had ever seen before in all his horrible twenty-five years on God's green Earth.

No, Riku was not one of Religion. Hell, he figured there was no God after all the horrible family matters throughout his early life.

The train screeching to a halt withdrew him from his thoughts and he looked up. He was about ready to go to sleep. Sora lead him onto the train quickly, after all the other people had gotten off first, and walked to the back row of seats and sat down quietly. Riku exhaled quietly, watching the other people board before the doors closing and the tram beginning to move again.

The ride was quiet; a comfortable quiet that wasn't even interrupted by the coughs and sneezes and sniffles of the other around them. Sora looked out the window, fingers still laced with the older man's, while Riku noticed how dark it was.

Yeah, duh, it was almost eleven at night, but how dark it was in the tram was rather odd. Usually the light rail was very well lit at this hour. Some of the lights, he noticed, flickered in and out and some of them were off completely.

The tram passed by Riku's stop where he used t transfer in the mornings, and showed Sora. Another five minutes after, Sora's stop came and the two exited the stopped trolley. It rolled away lazily, just as the snow began to fall from the sky again.

Fingers still laced, the two walked quickly and quietly to the motel. Sora pulled out a small key from his ripped up jeans even before entering the room. They entered the back gate of the motel, and walked up to a door titled 36B, but it was hard to tell what the numbers were (Riku had to guess) because a bright red piece of paper blocked the bottom half of the sign.

Upon reaching the door, Sora grabbed the paper, ripped it off and began crumpling the thing up and throwing it behind him, nearly hitting Riku in the chest. He fumbled with the lock on the door while Riku bent down to pick up the ball, and unravel it.

"Sora?"

"Yeah?" He finally got the goddamned thing open.

"This is…" Riku began, first walking into the door after Sora flicked on the light. Off-white walls, one couch, a small kitchen, and what looked like a doorway to the back rooms.

"…An eviction notice?"

"Oh…is that what that was?" He laughed, flying toward the doorway leading to (probably) the back rooms, opening another door and disappearing inside.

Riku waltzed deeper inside, poking gently at the brown, old couch sitting in the middle of what looked like a living room. The walls were stained, the carpet was gross, and the window in the kitchen looked cracked.

Sora came back, busily counting in his hands as he walked up to the elder male.

"Five, six, seven dollars." He said, gently handing it to Riku. Riku only stared at it before looking back up at the brunet, noting his confused expression.

"You don't have to pay me back, Sora…"

Sora smiled, "I want to…I'd feel bad if I didn't."

"Don't feel bad… You deserved it."

Sora blushed slightly, "…Are you sure?"

Riku nodded, watching as Sora folded it gently and put it in his pocket. Riku again glanced around the dingy room, quirking eyebrows at the cobwebs and stains on the ceiling.

Sora walked up to the window, looking through the blinds and sighing, "It's getting pretty bad… You going home tonight? Because…I can sleep on the couch and you can take my bed! It's got a spring you have to watch for, but… It's pretty comfy!"

Riku laughed. "Do you stay here all by yourself?"

"I used to have a roommate, but he moved out… It's been kind of hard to pay the rent, so…I started working at Spencer's, thinking I could try and get by…"

Riku walked up to the window and watched the drizzling snow.

"Well…we better hurry up if we're gonna make it before the storm hits."

"Y-what?"

"You're not staying here. An eviction notice?"

"That was the third one…actually…"

Riku blinked.

"That's my point. You're comin' with me, okay?"

Sora stared, wide eyed at the silver haired-man, "B-but-"

"C'mon, just get all your important stuff, I'm getting you out of here."

"But I-I can't-"

"My place is big enough for two people, and the only ones that ever come over are Axel and Roxas, and they aren't my favorite people. I can use the company anyway…"

They stared for an eternity, Sora's 'tsk' breaking the stare and he returned to the back room, beginning to mumble to himself. Riku followed him after a moment in to the backroom, and looked around.

A bed, an old dresser…that was all. Oh, and Sora packing a small backpack on said bed. Riku hmm'd, again wondering where the stains came from.

"I'll just be a minute…" Sora said, more audibly then the other things, even laughing a little after it was said and running around the room, looking for other things, Riku supposed.

A few minutes went by, and Sora was returning the room key to the front office and the two were out the door. Sora shook as the cold hit him, feeling his teeth begin to chatter. Riku noticed the moment, already beginning to unbutton his jacket as they began to walk to the station.

_**/C/**_

"Wow, the last one of the night! Pretty lucky, huh Riku?"

"Yeah, let's just hope it t-t-takes us h-h-home." Riku stuttered, his teeth involuntarily chattering as he spoke. Sora scrunched his eyebrows.

"Are you cold?"

"N-n-n-no, I'll b-be fine."

Sora leaned back into his seat, snuggling into the warm black Pea coat Riku had given him for the time being.

"Yeah…the motel heaters stopped working at the beginning of winter…all of them accept the one in the office…" He laughed.

Riku, again, blinked.

"How could you have lived like that, Sora?"

He shrugged, "I just thought I was lucky to even have a roof over my head, I guess…"

Yup; one weird dude.

The trolley stopped, and the two got off at the station, walking until Riku's house came into view. Riku began to walk faster, almost jogging to his house to get out of the cold.

He unlocked the door, letting Sora in first and flicking on the light. Sora's eyes widened and he laughed as he began exploring.

"You have to be hungry."

"Okay…maybe just a little."

Into the kitchen, Riku went, off to find food for the evening. If there were at least three things abundant in Riku's house (if anything), it was food, beer, and…oxygen.

He popped two cups of instant noodles into the microwave, setting the dial for three minutes. He walked into the living room, watching Sora playing on the recliner chair, making it bob forward and backward.

"What's cookin'?"

"Noodles."

"Awesome!"

Riku fell back onto the couch, sighing deeply and staring at the ceiling…again. Déjà vu, much.

He was startled when Sora had pounced on him, pinning his arms over his head and straddling his waist. He laughed, watching Riku's eyes widen at the sudden contact with his…nether regions.

Sora leaned closer, cerulean diamond eyes sparkling as he did so. "You…really didn't have to…"

"I wanted to."

Riku said, feeling Sora's skinny hands lacing around his cheeks and into his hair. Riku pulled the younger male down, brushing their lips together gently, and coming back more…and more…and more.

Riku's tongue poked against the other's lips, which parted slowly and giggled as he pressed both of their tongues together. The battle for dominance began…

_Ding!_

Riku paused for a moment, mumbling against the brunet's lips, "Food's done…"

"Uh-huh…" Was his simple reply before both tumbled to the floor, Riku now on top of Sora's smaller frame.

Riku was first to pull away after a moment, gasping gently and wiping the small trail of saliva sliding down his chin. He watched Sora's chest rise and fall, the younger finally opening his eyes to look up at him and lock stares.

Riku smiled, "Food's ready."

Sora brightened, "Noodles!"

The two stood from the floor, racing to the microwave, grabbing the steaming cups carefully while Riku grabbed the forks.

After a mean that Sora devoured and Riku hardly touched, said silver-haired boy thought it best to probably change the bed sheet before he let Sora take over. He got up groggily, wobbling to the bedroom and taking off the sheets to exchange them for clean ones…the only ones left in the house.

This proved to be a pickle…

Sora followed, drinking what was left in the cup and licking his lips. Riku flopped onto the new comforter and sighed, watching Sora sit calmly next to him, holding out the cup and dirty fork. Riku was up, _again_, disposing of the dishes into the sink, muffling Sora's hair as he passed.

"You're not sleeping in that." He said bluntly, not even looking up from the dishes as he organized them to the best of his tired ability.

"Well then, what?"

"I'll get you some stuff… Just-" He paused to yawn, "…hold on for a second…"

Riku nearly ran into the wall as he stumbled into the doorway of his room and handed Sora a pair of sweats and a t-shirt to sleep in.

"You're sleeping in here." He said, noticeably absent in the sentence.

Sora blinked.

"I-I'm not kicking you out of your own bed, Riku…"

"I'm kicking myself out. I got the couch. I always sleep on the couch…sleep in here…"

"No, I'll take the-"

"Bed."

"Ri_ku_…"

"Sleep." He said, actually pushing the younger onto the bed and closing the door behind him as he left for the couch. He liked the couch better anyways…besides, he still needed to get that thing done.

Hopefully the tired-act worked. Riku had stuff to do. He pulled the wooden cheap coffee table closer to him and pulled his pea coat (that was on the recliner) over and took out the bag from the inside pocket. He had managed to swipe a few envelops and cards to give out from the shelves when no one was looking.

Oh yes, oh so very good.

He dug around his coat for a pen and clicked it, drawing squiggles on the bag to make sure it worked. He encased the cards in their color-coded envelopes, signing the names gently with his pen,

_A X E L_

_R O X A S_

_S O R A

* * *

_

**A/N**: Song: "In Your Arms" by Hello Goodbye

And if you are unfamiliar with the song, i suggest taking a moment, going to Youtube . com and searching "Hello Goodbye In Your Arms kingdom hearts" and the first video should be one by _lovemythermos. _

Its an adorable little video, and the song is amazing...

Yanno, I work so hard on this goddamned story and only like…2 reviews… Is it really horrible? Tell me so and R+R.

-Kudos to Nicole for her inspiration/counseling + pushing this chapter out of my head.-


	3. Losing It

A/N: Yup…rating goes up here.

C H R O S T M A S  
_- I'm Losing It -_

How Riku had managed to sleep till noon without getting drunk the night before was completely beyond him. He pushed off his coat he had used for a blanket, and stretched his limbs, yawning gently into the cold house, jostling slightly at the sound of running water. He stood up groggily, ignoring the slightly light headed feeling that followed, and walked calmly to the kitchen, following the wall with his left hand.

He peered around the corner, overlooking Sora washing his dishes…how the hell did Sora even get here?

Oh…wait.

He chuckled at himself inwardly, erupting in another yawn and heading to the fridge, muttering a small 'morning' as he dug through it for _something _to fill his stomach.

"Hi Riku!"

He closed the refrigerator door, having found nothing of interest (but things, nonetheless) and was nearly knocked off his feet as Sora nearly tackled him with a hug. The brunet lightly kissed his cheek and released him, a smile brightening his face as he walked back toward the sink to finish the dishes.

"Hi…w-when did you get up this morning?"

"Um…like, maybe around nine or so." He answered, placing a clean plate on the rack to dry. "Your bed is very comfy."

Riku laughed, "I thought it would be torn to pieces by now…"

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing."

He then walked up to the cabinet, searching again for food.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, not bothering to look down from his search in the cabinet.

He knew Sora heard him, because he heard the sponge stop moving on the bowl he was washing. "…A little."

Riku hmm'd, again rummaging through the cabinet and groaning when nothing came into view besides soup, cookies and tang orange-juice powder.

"Alright…we're going out."

"Okay." Sora said, finishing the last dish and drying his hands. He quietly walked to the bedroom, announcing that he was changing, forgetting to add 'don't come in'…probably on purpose.

"Oh, that's okay Sora, I'll be in the shower anyway…" He announced, equally forgetful on the note of privacy. He shortly followed Sora into his room, eyeing him in the middle of sliding his nightshirt off to put on a new one from his backpack.

Riku walked into the bathroom, closing the door gently and turning the water on first, stepping in after stripping and beginning with his hair.

**/C/**

A highly debatable aspect, just waltzing in the bathroom whilst Riku was showering…

The man had the body of a God! It was amazing Sora had resisted until now. He remembered the event from the night before, capturing his bottom lip in his teeth as he pulled a new pair of jeans on, buttoning slowly, debating, debating, and debating…

Not now.

His heart tore a little, but he knew it was right; Riku wasn't used to being with a guy, he knew, he had experience with girls, and girls only. He just needed…time.

"Time… Right…" He whispered, glancing back at the bathroom door for an instant before biting his lip again and moving to the living room.

Everything needed time… Time he sometimes didn't have. Time he was sometimes left behind for because of what little there was. Everyone needed time.

That was all; Riku only needed time… He'd warm up, in due time…

So, Sora sat on the couch, pulling his knees up to his chest, holding them tightly with his arms…and waited.

**/C/**

Riku was not completely disappointed with the absence of the younger in the shower, after all…things were moving a little faster than really intended…

God, now he just felt promiscuous. He wondered how Sora was taking it; wondered if he thought he didn't like him.

Because, no, it was quite safe to admit that Riku did in fact, have a thing for dear little Sora.

Something about him Riku couldn't place a finger on…

He dismissed the thought, walking out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, semi-disappointed there was no Sora in the room…

Now he sounded obsessive. They met only two days before! And now Riku was considering living with him, they already made out on the damn couch…

Too fast. But…maybe that was what he needed. Why else did it feel so natural? So…right? Maybe because it was another boy… He wasn't sure.

He sighed deeply, quickly maneuvering into boxers and sliding his pants on. He searched his closet for a presentable shirt, which he found and slipped on.

Now, where the hell had the kid gotten to?

He walked toward the living room, spotting Sora on the couch, sleeping soundly. He smiled to himself, kneeling down to Sora's level on the couch, gently brushing the bangs from his eyes. He watched his eyebrows furrow and his eyes blink and stare back at him blankly.

"Well hey there."

"Hey…" He breathed out slowly more than said, sweeping the remaining strands form his eyes and stretching his arms in different directions.

"Are you still hungry?"

"Not really…"

"I lost my appetite too…"

Funny how things happen simultaneously…

Sora sat up on his elbow, leaning in closer, gently pressing his lips to Riku's cheek, giggling at the grin he had after he pulled back.

"You really don't have to help me, Riku…"

"You're helping me more, Sora, it was the least I could do. Stop telling me that, alright? I know I didn't have to, I did anyway, so deal with it." He laughed, muffling his hair as he stood up, stretching his half-asleep legs and yawning.

He watched Sora make no movement to get up from the couch, but in fact get more comfortable, dressed in an oversized sweatshirt with holes in the sleeves for his thumbs and pants that looked too big.

He sat in the recliner comfortably, sighing as he did so and closing his eyes. He ignored the rustling of the couch, but the sudden weight added to his lap made his eyes widen, and if possible, widened more when lips matched and hands traveled, and long skinny fingers crawled up through his sweatshirt to rest on his waist.

Shivers ran up his spine and he relaxed; too much too fast… He knew. He knew Sora knew. This only proved it further about what he wanted. What _they _wanted. It was safe to say the feeling was mutual…

With his head hazy and his hands gaining minds of their own, they snaked through his hair gracefully, deepening the already heated tongue battle. The movement elicited a small, weak moan from the younger boy, making Riku in turn smile in his victory in seeing who-could-stay-quiet-the-longest.

It wasn't very long before the cold spidery fingers ghosting over his torso created an odd sound from the older male's throat by brushing against a sensitive spot on his side. Sora ran over it again, and Riku's hips jolted.

Sora did it again, and the two movements combined, erupting in a louder moan and a rougher jolt of the hips. He laughed gently, parting away from the older boy for a moment, trailing gently from his lips to his neck, biting lightly at the nape and creating yet _another_ odd sounding moan from the older.

Riku's fingers traveled south, reaching his jeans, realizing they were really oversized, or else they wouldn't already be falling off. He groped around with his fingers until the button was finally found, feeling the kisses on his neck pause for a moment and a third hand coming to assist. Fuckin' thing wouldn't budge!

He felt the aiding fingers flip open the button finally before he glanced up at the younger male. He was breathing raggedly, and a blush stained his cheeks and a few spikes stuck to his forehead with a layer of sweat. He suddenly crashed their lips together, hands traveling south, moaning again gently as cold fingers finally found their target. His hips jolted forward from the contact, breaking the kiss to breathe precious air before the hand fully disappeared.

Sora was a biter… Riku figured after nearly losing his earlobe to those sharp little teeth. He ignored the pain, focusing solely on what the FUCK he was doing. The breathing in his ear, the chomping on his goddamned ear, and now a hand in his pants was a little distracting.

The small, annoying clicks from the other side of the house finally jostled him out of his haze enough to stop his motions, looking from Sora to the fumbling handle of the front door.

Involuntarily, Sora flew off of him just as the door opened, and a roaring "Lucy, I'm hoooome!" came inside. He watched Sora hiss in pain, nearly glaring at him when he mouthed an apology.

Axel walked inside, calling Riku's name with Roxas behind him, shutting the door and beginning to walk down the hall. Axel laughed, already have spotted Riku trying to button his pants and redo the zipper before…

Well… Never mind.

Axel laughed again, muffling the younger male's hair before spotting Sora on the ground and quirked and eyebrow, noting at how the boy was trying to be secret about trying to redo his pants.

Aha. The pieces come together in that of Axel's small, scattered, usually drunken mind!

"Okay… This must be Sora, then."

Sora jumped to his feet, straightening his sweatshirt and clearing his throat.

"H-hi, I'm… Well, Sora. And you are?" He stuck out his hand to shake. Axel only stared for a moment, looking at Sora questioningly. Sora began to withdraw, slightly embarrassed, before his hand was devoured by Axel's, and he babbled something about an introduction, who Roxas was, and was wondering if Riku was any _good, _all in one earthquake of a handshake.

Riku sighed, getting up and detaching their hands and glaring up at the redhead, "Hello, _Axel_."

"Hey Rikpoo, how's it going?" And before he could protest, Riku was pulled into a rather random not-very-Axel-like hold whilst he ground his knuckles into his skull.

After Riku had regained his head and tried to straighten his mussed hair, he sighed, looking at the two questioningly. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Its Christmas Eve-Eve, Riku! We gotta start stocking up on the booze before everyone else!"

"But…you have plenty at your place."

Roxas cleared his throat, crossing his arms over his chest. "He drank it all this morning."

"Oh…"

"So…Costco, Save-Mart, Big N' Lots, we gotta go get sooooooome!" Axel blurted, having to hold onto Roxas for support.

Riku rubbed his temples. "Yanno, Axel…" He began, glancing at Sora and then to Axel again, "I…don't know about it this year…"

Axel focused his drunken gaze on Riku, pushing himself off of Roxas (who was nearly falling over), "Wh-what?"

Riku sighed, "I just don't think this year I should get-"

"What? Because of _her_?" He pointed dazedly at Sora.

He cleared his throat, glancing from the redhead to Riku.

"Um…Axel, Sora's a guy."

"Oh…" He scrunched his eyebrows together, "So he is… Well, no biggie! Soda can come, too!"

"So_ra_."

"Right, right… I apologize…" He stifled a laugh, "So, okay, yeah… Riku, I… Okay, _we _were wondering if I could- _we_ could crash here today, because… I don't remember how to get home. And… Well…you're going to work later…" The redhead trailed off.

Riku shook his head, "Yeah, okay, Axel, you and Roxas can stay here. I don't care."

"Aaaaallrighty-then!" The taller man said, tackling Riku in tight hug, nearly knocking them both to the ground. Riku pushed him off, watching as Roxas tried to catch him, failing miserably, and ending up with the two of them on the floor.

_**/C/**_

_Ten Thousand Fists in the Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir_

"Wow, Riku, again?"

_Ten Thousand Fists in the Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir_

"Riku, seriously, you're drooling, wake up!"

_Ten Thousand Fists in the Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir_

Riku opened his eyes, staring up at the happy brunet as he bounced on the other side of the register, smiling brightly. He lifted his head from his tingly right hand, looking oddly at the drool sliding down his palm toward his elbow. He swiped the remaining substance from his lip, wiping it on his apron absently and yawning.

"You okay?"

"I'm…fine." He said, trying to dry the pool of saliva on the glass shield of the register.

"…You sure? You've been out for a while…" Sora kinked his head to the side, blinking his diamond eyes.

"How long was I out?"

"Long enough for Mar to almost notice. I thought I should wake you before he did."

Riku yawned, sitting back in the chair and propping his feet up on the shield of the register, purposely kicking Sora in the head gently. He laughed, pushing them away from his face and hitting his leg feebly.

"What time is it?"

"Almost eight."

Riku grinned, tapping his foot to the AFI song beginning on the Spencer's radio. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Riku," Sora began, "You are aware that there is no work tomorrow, right?"

"Well, duh." He rolled his eyes, "No one works Christmas Eve."

"I used to."

Riku chose to keep quiet after that. He stood up and stretched, noticing the store was a little busier than usual. People were actually walking around and looking at the overpriced crap on the shelves.

A sheer fucking miracle. Stupid people are getting the last-minute stuff.

He groaned, figuring that before his break he'd probably have to actually work the dumb register. He glanced at Sora, who had gone off to help some chick get something from the top shelf. Well…at least he didn't have to move.

Only a few people came in and actually bought something, which granted Riku a fairly easy day. When eight o'clock came by, he walked up behind Sora, muffling his hair and kissing his cheek.

"Break time."

"Oh…um…" Sora began, "I actually have something to do…Sorry, Riku. You'll have to be on your own. I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

Upon walking out after grabbing his coat, Riku debated on going to get something to fill his stomach, or following Sora wherever it might have been he was going…

His stomach growled at him, instantly answering his question.

He grabbed something quickly from the food court, and munched on it before he took his route to the roof. He hung his arms off the railing, ignoring the crowded parking lot and screaming people. The roof was always one place where everything just…well, seemed literally _below _him.

The snow drizzled gently down to Earth, causing Riku every once in a while to shake his head to clear the flakes. He walked back inside Target, looking up at the five clocks, showing times here, Japan, England, Canada, and Australia.

Why they had times for Canada, no one knew.

Now that he was in the magnificent Target, and now that he was thinking about it, Sora most definitely needed something more than a damned card. He waltzed to the jewelry department of the store, browsing absently at the merchandise before the perfect necklace caught his eye. Sora would love it.

He purchased it and had it placed into a small golden box, small enough to fit in pocket of his jacket and go unnoticed. The chain was a little big, though, but it still was invisibly hidden inside his coat. He had it wrapped, save for a bow, and he stuffed it away.

He glanced at the clock displaying the current time, cursing under his breath as he hurried back to Spencer's. He walked in, already with his coat off, looking around cautiously for Marluxia before making a break for the lounge.

The door swung open as he surveyed the store one more time. Where'd he go? He usually takes over when Sora and Riku leave for their breaks.

He turned into the lounge, bumping into the guy's chest and nearly falling backwards.

"You're late again."

"I'm sorry, I don't have a watch, Mar-"

The older man glared, arms crossed and eyes narrow. Riku felt himself shrinking slightly at the look that would almost make the devil himself, flinch. Key word: 'almost'.

His face brightened with a half-assed smile and he patted Riku's head.

He laughed, "Soooo lucky it's Christmas… Or else that apron would have been _mine_."

He patted Riku's shoulder before going off and disappearing into the mall somewhere.

After the Grim Reaper's Homosexual Cousin had emotionally scared him, he began to wonder where Sora had gone.

After putting his coat in the lounge, he sighed, walking back up to the register, sitting in the chair and propping his feet on the glass shield. He smiled, hearing Blue October's X Amount Of Words come onto the radio, once again, pleasing an empty store. He wasn't complaining though. It was nice.

He felt himself drifting off to sleep again, before another, sudden yet enjoyable, kiss on the cheek jump-started him, nearly falling off the chair.

He looked up at Sora, watching how he laughed and played with a lock of silvery hair. "Yanno, keep sleeping on the job and we may not work together anymore."

"Mar wouldn't fire…oh wait…yes he would."

Sora laughed again, gently kissing his cheek and going off to the back of the store. Riku glanced at the clock, wondering how the hell Sora got away with being a half hour late and he wasn't even late five minutes?

_**/C/**_

The walk across the parking lot to the light rail station was quiet, and this mysterious bag appeared in Sora's hands. Riku didn't bother to ask. It was probably noodles, or something.

They sat on a bench at the deserted light rail station, and got on the tram when it came by. They sat in the back row of seats with the bag on top of Sora's lap the whole ride and a smile on his face.

Riku began thinking again. Now… if it were that Sora and himself were kissing, and living in the same place, did that make them together? He wasn't sure… Until he knew officially, it was probably best to keep it under wraps.

The tram stopped at the next station, and the two got off again, noting how much more crowded this one was. The benches were full and the people were standing and talking, socializing about God-knows-what.

Riku sighed, standing next to Sora near the edge of the tracks and looking in the direction that the tram was supposed to come from when he felt cold fingers lace within his own. Riku glanced behind him, feeling as though everyone's eyes were on them. He quickly grabbed his hand back, and shoved it in his pocket.

Sora looked up at him, "Riku?"

"Just…not right now, okay? They'll think we're…" He stopped himself.

Well, that was certainly a smart move.

"They'll think we're…together?" Sora finished, lowering his voice a little.

Riku nodded.

"You mean…we're not, then?"

Riku said nothing. Sora looked back at the ground and held his bag with both of his hands and sighing.

The tram came, and both Sora and Riku had to stand to let the other people sit down. Once home was reached, Riku flicked on the light, and was suddenly tackled to the ground and a bottle of booze shoved in his hand by Axel, both him and Roxas already shitfaced.

Riku watched as Sora walked into the bedroom and closed the door. It was probably best not to bother him. That was a kind of low thing he said earlier.

He would just bother him later, if he weren't asleep. But before he could remember to do such a thing, he had downed the bottle in his hand, and crashed on the couch for the night.

_**/C/**_

Ohhh, the light… It burned.

Riku opened his eyes, shielding them from the afternoon's rays and groaning as he sat up. The massive earthquake in his head made another groan erupt from his throat. He glanced at Roxas and Axel in the recliner, out cold with Roxas lying on top of the redhead. Riku stood groggily and made his way toward the bedroom, noticing the closed door. He rubbed his aching head, knocking gently on the door, "Sora?"

He turned the handle and opened the door, scanning the bedroom. No Sora. A wave of dizziness made him run to the bathroom, spilling the contents of the stomach into the toilet.

Even after he had rinsed his mouth out, his mouth still tasted horrible. He brushed his teeth even, and the horrible tasted stayed. He walked out of the bathroom, and back into the living room where Roxas and Axel were still out.

"Sora?" He called, looking in the kitchen. He heard Axel yawn into awakening, pick up Roxas and set him on the couch.

"W-what's wrong?"

Riku peered out of the kitchen, "I can't find Sora."

"Hold-hold on, Riku…you should take a pill first… You sure he's not here?" Axel rubbed his eyes and yawned again.

"I've looked everywhere! He's not in the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen- anywhere!" He walked out of the kitchen, clutching his aching head, "He must be mad at me for what I said last night. Ugh, I'm such a jackoff!"

"Can't agree with you more. What'd you say?" Axel asked, giving the pill to the younger male, who walked back into the kitchen and filled a clean glass with some tap water. "I-I don't remember; I just know he's mad at me for it; something about not being together, I don't know." He paused to drink down the pill, "I mean, I think I really screwed up this time-"

"Riku, quiet down-"

"N-no, Axel! He could be out there all by himself right now! I-I gotta go find him!" Riku jumped toward his room, grabbing a coat and looking around the house for his shoes.

"But that pill will-"

"You and Roxas should come and help me!"

Axel quirked an eyebrow, "Roxas' still asleep, man, I'm not going to wake him up!"

"Well then, the both of you will stay here until I come back, alright?"

"Alright, dude, but-"

_Pay close attention  
Don't listen to me from now  
George'll be flying this one  
And it's anyone's guess how he does_

"Axel, I'm serious!" Riku said, already halfway out the door.

"Alright, alright!" We'll stay here."

"And if Sora shows up-"

_This is the right turn, wrong universe  
Taking me in full bloom  
Fireball, careful with that  
There, see what you made me do?_

"Keep 'em here, I gotcha."

Riku closed the door and darted down the street. Where could he have gone? The stores were probably all closed, he didn't know if Sora had any friends- where would he go?

Riku looked around the first light rail station, and moved on after not spotting him. The second light rail station had the same results. He looked in alleys, around the closed Mall, and even at the diner. No Sora.

_I must be dreaming, or  
We're onto something  
I must be dreaming, for  
I don't fall in love lawlessly_

He walked up to a nearby trashcan, throwing up again. After he was done, it was safe to say he felt _soooo_ much better, and he took off again, this time to his old apartments.

He knocked on the door to his old room, calling his name. After no answer, he slumped over, sitting down on one of the chairs to rest his upset stomach.

_I must be dreaming, or  
Pinch me to waking  
So undeniably yours  
As long as I'm losing it so completely_

He stumbled back over to the light rail station, waiting for a tram home… He couldn't think of anywhere else to look. Sora wouldn't really just up and leave, would he?

He still have the state of mind like he owed something to Riku, he wouldn't abandon him like that. Maybe he just went to go get breakfast or something. Yeah…maybe he was sitting at home right now, chomping down McDonalds or something…

He eased at the thought, and his stomach settled a little. He would never forgive himself if something happened to Sora.

_Incendiary glance  
Be, come, and collide in me  
Zoom in; Enhance  
Hold while I go helplessly sky-high  
Magic eye sugar rush  
Don't s t o p_

He got on the next tram, and transferred at his station, and was now walking the lonely road back to his boring, one story, small house. It seemed brighter and happier since Sora had just started doing the _dishes_.

He sighed heavily, feeling his pounding headache and churning bowls almost knock him off course. He groaned, rubbing his head and looking up at a small shop; the only shop open on the entire block!

It looked decorated with little trinkets, knick-knacks, and little toys. He pressed up against the glass, letting his breath fog it up. There was some old guy in there, white hair and a white little mustache, and he was serving some…chick? No, wait…

_I must be dreaming, or  
We're onto something  
Hey, just watcha make me for?  
I don't fall in love lawlessly_

"Sora?" Riku called, watching him laugh and grab a bag from the older man and walk out the door, and fumble to put the extra change into his pocket. He sighed, and glanced at first to his left, then spotting Riku on his right, "Hey, Riku! What are you doing out here?"

He walked up to the younger man, smiling and hugging him tightly, "I thought you hated me!"

"Now, why would I ever hate you?" He laughed, hugging the silver-haired man back.

Riku released him, and moved a stray spike out of the way of his face, "I thought you ran away because of what I said yesterday… What were you doing here?"

_I must be dreaming, or  
Pinch me to waking  
So undeniably yours  
As long as I'm losing it so completely_

Sora's smile faltered. He sighed, turning back on his way toward the house. "I was thinking about it…"

"You have no reason to think that, Sora, I was… I was scared yesterday, I wasn't sure if I was ready, but…" He kissed his cheek, "Now I think I am…"

"Running out to look for me even with a hangover? Maybe." He laughed, kissing Riku's cheek back and holding the bag in front of him with both hands.

"So…what's that?"

"Your Christmas present."

Riku really hated Christmas.

_Euphoria  
I can't take any more of you  
Euphoria  
I can't take any more of you  
I'm l o s i n g it_

"Oh…really?"

"Yeah, of course! You've done all this stuff for me, and I have had no way to say thanks…then, I finally found something yesterday at break…"

Riku grabbed the bag, despite Sora's protest, and took out the box inside, laughing to see that there now was no secret that his present was…

Already wrapped up. Great.

_I must be dreaming, or  
We're onto something  
Hey, just watcha make me for?  
I don't fall in love lawlessly_

"You got me a nice little box wrapped in paper with a bow, how thoughtful!"

"Riku, don't break it! The guy at the store worked really hard on that!" Sora tried to grab the present back from Riku's outstretched hand.

"Oh come on, mummy, please can I open one? Can I, can I?" He laughed, finally letting Sora have the box after the struggle, earning him a pout.

"You can open it after dinner."

"Oh, goody."

_I must be dreaming, or  
Pinch me to waking  
So undeniably yours  
As long as I'm losing, I'm l o s i n g it_

The two reached the house, and were greeted by a hung over Roxas and a rather perky Axel, who was busy preparing sandwiches for dinner, seeing as how late it was. Riku wasn't sure if he was able to eat, but Sora made him anyway, and he felt much better afterwards.

"So, why did you leave, Sora?" Riku asked, taking a sip of water afterwards. Sora stuffed a chip in his mouth before answering.

"Well, you were out of wrapping paper, so I had to get some. That guy's shop was the ONLY one open; can you believe it? Besides, I thought I would be back before you came to, I'm sorry." He took another bite of his sandwich.

"You couldn't leave a note?"

"You were out of paper, too."

"...Oh."

After a moment, Riku stood from the couch, and went to his room after muttering, "Be right back." He came back with his bag of Christmas cards, save from Sora's that was safely tucked away in the closet. He gave the red card to Axel, and the green one to Roxas, both of them stopped their eating to open them.

Axel laughed, showing Roxas the Grinch picture on the top of the card, and flipped it open to read it. Riku only knew he'd like it because Axel was the one who named Riku The Grinch. Roxas opened his and laughed, showing Axel the picture of himself and Axel in a photo booth one day while visiting Riku at work.

"Aww, Riku these are adorable!" Axel said, putting the thing back in the envelope for safe keeping. "Yeah, thank you Riku." Roxas added, handing his to Axel, who put both of them in his coat picket for safe keeping and began eating again with Axel fishing chips off his plate, even though he had plenty.

Axel quietly finished his sandwich and was busy playing with Roxas' spikes whilst the younger male ate. At the first sign of being done, Axel was at it, crashing their lips together, and threading his hands through the younger's hair.

"Ahem."

Axel looked up for a moment at Riku.

"Right…we'll just be going to the bedroom, then."

"Oh, no-no-no, ya don't." Riku said, standing up with the pair, stopping them from moving. "If you're going to do that, then you'll have to go home this time, Guys."

Axel looked at Roxas. Roxas looked at Axel. Both of them looked at Riku, then to Sora, in almost perfect unison.

"…Alright." Axel said, reaching out to Riku for a hug, which he often did. Riku embraced him, shook Roxas' hand and the two were gone out the door.

Riku sighed, sitting back on the couch next to Sora. The brunet laughed, gently moving closer to the older man and rapping his arms around his waist.

"So, no getting shitfaced drunk today, Riku?"

"Not today."

He smiled, gently kissing Riku's cheek and resting his head on his shoulder.

"Do I have to wait for Christmas to get here before you can open your present?"

"I don't believe in Christmas."

Sora quirked an eyebrow, "Hanukah?

"Nope."

"Kwanzaa?"

"Do I look African?"

"Winter Solstice?"

"No."

Sora widened his eyes, "Why not?"

"Christmas just sucks. Bad parties, horrible family…I just never cared for it."

Sora looked the older man in the eye, "Well then, Riku… You should make up your own holiday to replace it. Like… You know… A substitute holiday."

"Like what?"

"I dunno."

"See? Making up holidays isn't very easy, now is it?"

Sora laughed, "I guess not."

"Well then, fine. I want you to open it tonight, okay?"

"No, you're getting yours first." Riku stood up, pointing down at Sora, "Don't. Move."

Sora giggled, watching Riku come back with a flat box wrapped in gold paper. He handed it to Sora, and he just stared at it…

"Riku, I can't-"

"It'd be a waste if you didn't…"

"But…" Sora began, looking up at the older man, "You've already done so much for me, I don't know…"

"I bought it special for you, Sora, if you don't open it then I'll have to give it to Roxas. And I don't want to give it to Roxas because Axel spoils him rotten."

Sora laughed. "Okay…" He gently tore the paper apart, looking at the engraving on the box, reading "Kingdom Hearts Co." in white cursive writing. He pulled the top of the box off, gasping when he looked the necklace over.

A bright, shiny, silver crown sat on a beautiful silver chain that shined in the little light in the room. Sora pulled it out of the case, looking at it closely before slipping it on and tackling Riku in an embrace.

"Thank you, thank you so much!"

Riku laughed, patting his back gently until he sat up. "You really-"

"Well, what else did you think you would get?"

"Nothing else, I love it, it's beautiful!" He said, gently stroking the metal. "But…I think there is one more thing you could tell me, Riku…"

"What's that?" He asked, sitting back on the couch.

"Why did you tell me yesterday that they would think we were together? I mean…I've held your hand before, and you never gave me-"

Riku sighed, sitting up from the couch again and looking at the floor. "I don't know… I was just…unsure if I was ready for that kind of thing yet… If I was really ready for something like Love…" He glanced up at the brunet, watching as both of his legs met his chest on the couch.

"Yanno…" Sora began, hugging his legs up to himself closer. "My mom told me once before I moved out that Love was blind in a sense… Like…the heart doesn't know what it wants, even if it's right there in front of it…"

Riku grinned, watching as Sora pulled the pretty wrapped box from beside the couch and set it in his lap. "I want you to have this because, Riku… no one has ever been this nice to me before. A good few people have helped me out of some situations, but… It was like they came and went, yanno? You're special."

Riku smiled, tearing through the paper happily, laughing at the objects inside. Inside were a case including two Chocolate Pens, and four or five small cases of lubricant. He laughed again, looking up at Sora, watching as he moved to sit on his knees, leaning closer and kissing him chastely on the lips.

"I know it's a lot right now… But I really think you're ready for this…" Another kiss.

The presents slipped from Riku's lap as Sora replaced them, gently rapping his legs around his waist and kissing him sweetly. It quickly turned hungry, both of them feeding from the other selfishly until it was time to move.

Clumsily standing, Riku brought Sora with him, their kissing only stopping for a moment before they were at it again, generally moving in the direction of the bedroom,

Before the door is even opened, Riku backed into it with a low groan, both out of surprise and slight pain, holding onto the younger man for dear life. Their jeans rubbed together, tongues battles, hands traveled, and Riku wasn't sure he could take anymore. He momentarily stopped scratching Sora's back with his left hand, and groped around the door until the knob came into reach. He turned it clumsily, nearly falling when the damn door opened.

Thankfully his head was still clear enough to remember where the bed was. Unfortunately, it was him who landed on the bottom when they stumbled backward, tumbling down on the mattress, Sora already flipping open the button on his pants. Riku flipped them over, nearly falling off the bed as he grabbed Sora's shirt off and through it across the room and kicked off his pants.

Riku began work on Sora's button, only stopping for a moment to let his shirt come off, which Sora tossed to the ground, feeling his skinny fingers jab into his shoulders as he squeezed. He ignored the slightly throbbing pain, finally able to undo his fly and help him pull them off.

Once Riku stopped for a moment, he examined Sora's small, skinny body. Despite the dim light in the room, his ribs were visible and his hips were jagged. He leaned down, gently pressing his lips to Sora's, hearing his breathing ease.

He moaned, feeling the sudden rush when Sora's hand grasped his length inside of his uncomfortable boxers, shivering a little, and almost collapsing on top of him. Two could play at that game.

Once he secured Sora's lips with his own, his hand glided south. Of course, the stupid hand jumbling around his pants made it a teeny bit hard to concentrate, but he was able to get passed the waistband and grasp the warm, throbbing member in retaliation for the totally-uncalled-for method Sora just had to go through with earlier. Sora's breath in turn hitched in his throat, and his legs tensed, and for a second his own hand stopped moving.

He opened his eyes, looking up at Riku for one second before he felt the hard stroke the older inflicted on his member, tossing his head and moaning loudly. Riku placed feather light kisses on his neck before repeating the motion, again and again and again. His pace sped until Sora was writhing against his touch and was almost screaming out in ecstasy…and then he stopped.

He looked up at Riku for a moment through the haze over his eyes and the throb between his legs, and tried to speak. "Y-you…s-stop…?"

"I need to get the pen, I'll be right back."

What perfect fucking timing he had.

Riku released the younger man, got up and clear walked out of the room. Sora groaned, finally getting out of his uncomfortable boxers and throwing them off to the side, waiting for Riku to come back so he didn't _go off _without him.

Riku did return after a moment with the small pens and lubricant, and set them down on the nightstand before kissing Sora's cheeks and settling down on the bed in between his legs. He ripped the package open, throwing the trash in every direction and popping open the milk chocolate flavored pen. He shook it a few times before pressing it against Sora's chest. It drizzled out lazily in little ribbons, creating small shapes and squiggles which Riku erased which his tongue when he was done.

Sora laughed, glancing on the nightstand and grabbing the pink one, popping it open and flipping the both of them over so that he straddled Riku's thighs and was doodling gently on his chest. With a flick of the pen, a heart evolved, but was quickly licked away. They tumbled one more time, falling with both of them on their sides, Riku still between Sora's legs and the pens still drawing designs on the other's chests.

Sora was first to move south onto Riku's abs, drawing a light squiggle and licking it with his tongue. Then Riku drew a clumsy circle around one of his nipples, sucking it lightly and cleaning it with his teeth gently. Sora moaned, copying the motion, only biting the nub softly before pulling away.

Sora's lips and corners of his mouth were smudged with the pink, possibly strawberry flavored chocolate, and, Riku assumed, his were too. He laughed gently, connecting their lips hungrily, realizing the pink chocolate was in fact tinted strawberry, and tipping over so that he was back on top. He reached for a small plastic pack of lube and opened it carefully, watching as Sora suddenly sat up, placing a hand on top of the lube pack.

"Y-you have to prep me, first, Riku, it'll hurt less…"

"What?"

"You know…" Sora began, sitting up and taking one of his fingers and putting it into his mouth.

"Oh."

"It will hurt less…" He repeated, taking the finger from his mouth and laying back down.

Riku shrugged, squeezing the liquid onto two of his fingers, glancing up at Sora before sliding one of them inside. Sora writhed, arcing his back and fisting the sheets. Another finger, a louder moan.

He pulled his fingers slowly in and out, hearing Sora finally say that he was ready. He leaned over to the nightstand and grabbed another little package of lubricant, that was taken away when Sora sat up again, opening the thing himself.

"L-let me do it."

Riku quirked and eyebrow, sighing and sweeping a hand through his hair, "Alright. Fine. Knock yourself out."

Sora giggled as both of them sat cross-legged on the bed, Sora squeezing the clear liquid onto his hands. He looked up at Riku before he gently wrapped his fingers around the throbbing length, glancing up at Riku for a moment before continuing. His hands moved up and down as gently as he could, realizing he was done and laid back on the bed.

Riku repositioned himself between Sora's legs, glancing up at him for a moment, waiting for any kind of hesitation, smiling at the chocolate stains on his chest, and around his mouth. Sora leaned up, kissing him gently before lying back onto the bed.

Riku thrust his hips forward, moaning in unison with the brunet, looking up for a second for any sign of protest. Riku pulled back, slamming back into him, letting another moan erupt from his throat, matching Sora's.

His thrusts grew deeper, faster, and louder with the sensations coursing through both of their aching bodies. With one last thrust of his hips, Riku spilled his seed, and soon after, Sora came all over their stomachs. Riku regained his breath, pulling out and kissing the younger man, threading hands through his hair, still tasting the strawberry coating his mouth.

He grabbed a tissue from the box on the nightstand and cleaned the mess, first getting it off of him and swiping it off of Sora. The brunet laughed at the action, watching as he tossed it onto the floor with the rest of the trash.

Riku lay down comfortably, feeling Sora scrunch up next to him and sigh happily.

"How about…Chrostmas, Riku? Will you celebrate that instead of Christmas?"

Riku blinked, "Wh-what?"

"Chrostmas. You know, instead of Christmas. You said you didn't like Christmas, so… I made up another holiday…"

"…You could think during _that_?"

"_Before _that, silly."

"Okay, fine. Chrostmas it is." Riku laughed, feeling sleep slowly washing over him.

"Merry Chrostmas, Riku." Sora said, gently kissing his cheek and snuggling closer to his body and falling asleep shortly after.

_I must be l o s i n g it_

**A/N**: "Ten Thousand Fists" By Disturbed and "Must Be Dreaming" By Frou Frou

For the record, I don't like AFI. I just added that in there because more credit should be owed to my buddy, Nicole. I was going for the "Miss Murder" song on the radio…but…yeah. You know.

So, tell me how this went and R+R?

Sora/Riku/Roxas/Axel/Leon/Marluxia/Larxene/Zexion

© Square-Enix


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